Harewood Castle

Harewood Castle is a 14th century castle that can be found within the estates of Harewood House on the outskirts of Leeds, West Yorkshire. The castle originates in the 12th century but is recognisable from construction that followed the licence to crenellate being granted to Sir William de Aldeburgh in 1366. A rectangular keep style castle, it was built with comfort in mind as much as defence. In the Wars of the Roses Harewood was held by the Redmayne family, some of whom are aid to rest in the nearby All Saints Church which is an early 15th century construction. 

Harewood Castle

Origins

The Manor of Harewood was granted to the  L’Isle family in 1293. The family had other lands, predominantly in Bedfordshire. In 1364 Harewood was exchanged by Robert de L’Isle to Sir William de Aldeborough. Sir William obtained a licence to crenellate his manor house at Harewood in 1366. It is possible that the construction was funded as a result of Sir William being a beneficiary of the estate of Edward Balliol [page 10 of this report].

There is evidence of buildings at the site prior to the construction of Harewood Castle, though no physical building work remains that predates the work of Sir William. The Manor of Harewood has seen an Anglo-Saxon hoard discovered close the the site of the caste, and cons dating from the reign of Edward I have also been found in the vicinity of the manor house.

Design

The castle that Sir William had constructed consists of a rectangular pele tower with a tower on each corner. The main entrance to the castle was via a gate built into a four storey entrance tower which was defended by gates and a portcullis. To the western side of the main structure a wing was built which contained the kitchen and other functional rooms.

The main tower of Harewood Castle is a 3 storey building with each side being roughly 15 metres in length at its base. It has its Great Hall on the ground floor with a solar above. The north-west tower contained a screen separating the tower from the adjoining kitchen wing. The storey above the portcullis is elaboratly decorated with the crests of the Aldeborough, Baliol, Constable, Vipont and Thweng families being incorporated into the masonry.

In essence the structure was able to resist small scale attacks and would deter any opportunists and small bands of men. It was not large enough or defensively capable to resist a large or sustained assault, being an example of a fortified manor house rather than a large military base.

Ryther and Redmayne families

In 1388 Sir William de Aldeborough passed away. The castle and Manor of Harewood then passed to the Ryther and the Redmayne families, as Sir William’s daughters had married into these families.

From this point onwards the castle may have been inhabited by both families. There is also archaeological evidence that minor modifications were made within the 15th and 16th centuries, though the main structure itself seems to have not been altered beyond maintenance.

The Redmayne Family who were holders of Harewood Castle for much of the later medieval era are discussed in detail by Ian Dawson, Vice-President of the HIstorical Association, on his website Thinking History. A personal project by Ian in non academic writing style, he has 13 chapters of content on the Redmayne family from 1365 to 1410. It is wonderful example of research into local history.

Harewood and Antiquarians…

For a time it was said by some prominent historians that the Manor of Harewood was the location where King Edgar murdered Earl Aethelwold in 963 AD. This theory was put forward by Hargrove in 1809  and Jewell in 1819. Based, perhaps, on local folklore that a copse known as Chasne Plain locally had been specifically kept clear of trees for years afterwards as it marked the place where the murder had taken place.

Later research places that event many miles away, at Whorwell, Hampshire.

All Saints Church, Harewood

All Saints Church at Harewood as we see it today dates to 1410. Built in the Gothic Perpendicular style it is home to six medieval era Alabaster tombs that date between 1419 and 1510. It is also the resting place of Princess Mary, great aunt of King Charles III. The alabaster tombs are subject to some discussion as to exactly who they are memorialising. No inscriptions remain on most of the tombs and so therefore local historians have needed to make use of the designs of each effigy [for period stylistic dating] along with things such as insignia [Yorkist and Lancastrian symbols appear on these effigies] to make assertions as to whom is represented in each. Bearing in mind that the identification is a ‘best guess’ for the tombs, they are generally thought to be those of:

Sir William Gascgoigne. Lord Chief Justice Gascoigne and his wife, Elizabeth Mowbray (died 1419)

Sir William Ryther (d.c.1425) and wife Sybil Aldburgh

Sir Richard Redmayne (d.c.1425)

Sir William and Margaret Gascoigne (from the early 1460s)

Sir William and his wife, Margaret (c.1487)

Edward Redmayn (d1510) and his wife Elizabeth Huddleston

The identification of those held within each tomb is discussed in more depth on this blog [external link].

Harewood in the 15th Century

Sir William Gascgoigne, though havng died in 1419, played a role in the transfer of power from Richard II to Henry IV. As a senior lawyer he also took a lead in ensuring that the rights of Richard Scrope Archbishop of York and Thomas Mowbray the Earl Marshall were upheld when being tried: he led calls for them being tried by their peers. There are also suggestions that Gascgoigne had disagreements with King Henry V whilst he was Prince of Wales, though these are not substantiated claims. What is clear though is that Sir William, from Gawthorpe which is on the Harewood Estate, was closely aligned with the Lancastrian regime and trusted by King Henry IV, though perhaps not by his son Henry V.

Sir William Gascoigne (1386-1422) was a staunch Lancastrian. He died in 1422 whilst on campaign in France, possibly at the Siege of Meaux. He held positions within the administration of the Duchy of Lancaster. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Yorkshire and attended two Parliaments. Sir William took efforts to ensure that his estates including houses in York were secured for his wife and daughters in the event of him dying whilst on campaign in France. Records show that these matters were finally settled in 1437, some 15 years after his death. Further depth on Sir William can be found on the History of Parliament blog.

Sir William Gascoigne (1450-1487) married a daughter of Henry Percy 3rd Earl of Northumberland and Eleanor Poynings. His status within the region was therefore high, as the Percy family were one of the most influential in the region. They married in 1469, and Sir William held positions under the rule of Edward IV as Justice of the Peace for the West Riding. This was at a period when the future Richard III was increasingly influential in the north, with Sir William’s role incorporating oversight of justice in Manors such as Skipton that were held by the Duke of Gloucester and his own brother-in-law, the 4th Earl of Northumberland.

The Redmayne (Redman) family who took possession of Harewood via inheritance by Sir William Aldeborough’s daughters are noted in Chancery Records and the Patent Rolls for various things during the era of the Wars of the Roses. Most are relating to inheritance and land rights, with others including a pardon for Richard Redmayne from being outlwaed in 1465: a technical offence for having failed to appear at a court to settle a financial matter in London. Edward Redmayne received a general pardon in 1485 from King Henry VII, therefore suggesting that he had been loyal to King Richard III until the fall of the Yorkist king at Bosworth.

16th Century Violence at Harewood

In 1529 a group of men descended upon All Saints Church, Harewood. They were not intending to worship. Instead, they were bearing arms.

“riottously, with force and armes, that is to say, with swordes, staves, and knyves, and other wepons defensyve  and invasyue, unlaufully and riottously assemblid theym selfes at Harwode”, broke into the church, pulled Thomas Clarke, one of the six resident priests, out of the church and assaulted him to such an extent that ‘he thought he should not escaped with his life.’

William Brown (ed), Yorkshire Star Chamber Proceedings, Record Series XLI, Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1909, pp.73-75.

This period and detail of the interrelationship between prominent local families are explored in more detail on this page [external link].

Harewood Castle Links

Historic England – official listing page. Details currently not available but will be placed here once updated.

British Archaeological Association – pdf viewer. Article on Harewood Castle.

Archaeology Data Service: Dennison, E. and Richardson, S. (2012). Harewood Castle, Harewood, West Yorkshire: Archaeological and Architectural Survey and Recording. Ed Dennison Archaeological Services Ltd. https://doi.org/10.5284/1021636.

West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service – pdf guide for visitors.

1066 – description of Harewood Castle and overview of its history.

Heritage Gateway – list of sources and records pertaining to Harewood Castle.

Image Galley – TK Blackburn has a fabulous gallery of images from Harewood Castle on Flickr.